Vote for WGU’s Proposals for SXSW EDU 2026
WGU is ready to take center stage for SXSW EDU (March 9-12, 2026) in Austin, Texas, but we need your vote!
We're revolutionizing the student experience through AI, apprenticeships, and workforce development, and we’ve submitted 5 panels and 2 workshops for the opportunity to showcase the incredible work we’re doing.
Learn more about our proposals below and click on the links to give us a quick upvote. We also encourage you to leave comments on sessions you’re excited about. To vote, you must sign in with your existing account or create a SXSW ID.
Community voting is open through Sunday, August 24. Your input will account for 30% of the total score, so let your voice be heard!
Think Outside the Bubble: Using AI for Authentic Assessment
Presenters:
- Nathan Sundt, Assessment Strategist, Western Governors University
- Matthew Ventura, Learning Scientist, Consultant
- Jeff Bergin, Chief Learning Officer, General Assembly
- Kristen Dicerbo, Chief Learning Officer, Khan Academy
Authentic assessment has long faced barriers to scale, but that is changing. This panel brings together leaders from Western Governors University, Khan Academy, and General Assembly to explore how AI and LLMs are powering real-world assessments at scale. From instant evaluation and scoring to automated scenario design and learner modeling, panelists share how AI can elevate rigor, relevance, and creativity. Join us to rethink what counts as evidence of learning and how to make it real in your learning environment.
From Theory to Practice: Using AI to Scale Skill Development
Presenters:
- Moderator: Carrie Wofford, Strategist, Western Governors University
- Becca Runyon, Executive Director, Learning Design, Skills for the Future, ETS
- Melanie Flowers, Chief Workforce Strategy Officer, Craft Education System
Skills are best developed in real-world contexts. Using AI, we can move beyond traditional learning to develop and scale authentic learning pathways. Drawing from ETS and Carnegie Foundation's Skills for the Future initiative, we explore how these principles extend across academic and workplace settings, including Craft Education's approach to measuring work-based learning. We showcase AI-supported Cognitive Task Analysis from Western Governors University enabling personalized models. Attendees learn frameworks for designing contextual learning that enables pathways to workforce and beyond
Alumni: The Hidden Workforce Engine
Presenters:
- Moderator: Linda Battles, Regional Vice President, Western Governors University
- Valerie Jane Chura, VP & Program Management Lead, Global Technology Centers, JP Morgan Chase & Co
- Carrie Gilbert, VP of Sales at Azuris Consulting
- Bezing Ngendoh, Oracle Database Administrator, Presbyterian
Discover how an alumni-led initiative is transforming workforce issues by tackling barriers for underrepresented groups in tech. This session explores WGU’s Tech Impactors Network—an alumni-led scalable model driving access, mentorship, and career mobility in the tech industry through cross-sector collaboration, community engagement, and flexible education pathways. Learn how this targeted support is reshaping the pathway to tech careers for underserved populations, such as women/women of color, in California, Minnesota, and Texas.
Want to Design Better AI Tools? Ask Students
Presenters:
- Betheny Gross, Research Director, WGU Labs
- Moderator: Beth McMurtrie, Senior Writer, The Chronicle of Higher Education
- Obi Felten, Founder, Flourish Labs
- Hunter Bartley, Owner, Eternity LLC
As AI enters the classroom, are we designing tech with students or for them? This panel explores how student-led insights can reshape AI-enabled learning tools to be more equitable, responsive, and trusted. From peer-driven mental health platforms to Gen Z skepticism of “robot tutors,” we’ll examine what it takes for students to feel seen and heard in a rapidly evolving EdTech landscape, especially those most at risk of being left out.
Institutional AI Adoption: Moving from Hype to Habit
Presenters:
- Mitsu Frazier - SVP, School of Business, WGU
- David Porcaro – Founder, CEO Learning Design Alliance
- Dr. Mark Naufel - CEO and Founder, Axio AI
Integrating AI tools into educational institutions can feel like fitting a round peg into a square hole. This workshop delves into the real-world challenges and strategies of embedding AI into existing organizational ecosystems. Drawing from engagements with Learning Design Alliance and Axio AI, WGU will explore mission alignment, change management, and the gap between instructor perceptions and student usage. Participants will engage in hands-on activities to envision AI integration within their contexts, informed by survey data on hopes and fears surrounding AI in education.
Actions to Outcomes: A Smarter Path to Better Decisions
Presenters:
- Jennie Sanders, Vice President of Experiential Product, Western Governors University
- Kristin Waldo, Director of Technical Product Management, Western Governors University
In a world of complexity, noise, and time pressure, making the right decision is harder—and more critical—than ever. Decision Intelligence (DI) is a simple yet powerful framework that blends design thinking, strategy, and evidence-based practice to drive better results and faster learning. Whether with pen and paper or in tech-enabled systems, DI helps anyone—from students to leaders—make smarter decisions. In this hands-on workshop, you will apply this framework to your own area and leave with practical tools to navigate complexity and make smarter decisions in your life, work, and community.
Apprenticeships: A Nuts-and-Bolts Guide
Presenters:
- Moderator: Stacey Ludwig Johnson, Executive Director or Work-Based Pathways, Western Governors University
- Erin Silver, Founder, Envision Strategy Group
- Kristi Kirschner, Founder of Gateway Education Partners and Board Chair at edwell
- Krysti Specht, Director, Center for Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning, Jobs for the Future
The value of a higher education degree continues to be called into question, even as workforce shortages deepen in key fields — including teaching, nursing, and cybersecurity. Embracing apprenticeships and work-based learning is one way for higher ed to better align degrees and career paths with workforce needs and to improve student success and affordability. With a concrete connection to careers, these pathways also attract those who are now opting out of college. In this session, join experts as they share insights on apprenticeships and how these paths create workforce alignment.
